Unlucky
by HyperAnimeWolf
Summary: Edward Elric has undergone one of the most bizarre changes in his life. Can he carry on his reputation as the Fullmetal Alchemist? How long will an unlucky shadow be cast over his back? Complete summary inside.
1. Mametsubu Renkinjutsushi

Edward Elric has undergone one of the most bizarre experiences in his life, and now everything's topsy turvey. What is he to do? How can he carry on his reputation as the Fullmetal Alchemist? For how long will this unlucky shadow be cast over his back? "I'm telling you Al, it's a curse..." Ed-Win, Roy-Riza. R&R!

Disclaimers. I do not own any of the characters in the following, save but the few I have made up. Same goes for the plots, the cities, and everything. I wish I did own FMA, but that'll never happen. -; So, on with the fic. This will be my first under FMA, and it may be a plot that some people have already started writing about. What exactly? Well that, my friend, you'll have to find out for yourself.

If you like this fic, by the way, then you're more than welcome to read my InuYasha fic, "Aishiteru, Kagome", if you're interested. Domo Arigatou! bows

_

* * *

Unlucky_

_Prologue: Mametsubu Renkinjutsushi_

* * *

"Well, I guess we'll be leaving now," came a voice as a young, blond haired boy of fifteen stepped from the Colonel's office. Right behind him was a larger person, a boy of fourteen in a large suit of armor. The door closed behind them, and the two walked down the stairway down to the main entrance.

The older boy, Edward Elric, was quite short for his age, just about a mere five feet or so. It just also happens that this boy was "short" of temper and patience. He walked out the front doors, out into the bright sunlight. Behind him flowed a short braid of golden hair, amber eyes glancing to the pristine blue sky. His coat, which he wore at all times, went from a shadowed crimson to a bright cherry hue as he stepped into the sunlight, contrasting with his black garments trimmed in white. His brightest accessories were a pair of white gloves, and a silver chain hanging from his belt. The chain led to his pocket, in which was embedded a pocket watch. The item proved that you were a State Alchemist, a 'dog of the military'. Ed was no such thing. If he was a 'dog of the military', and did all that he was told, he'd never find the Kenja no Ishi.

The other boy, Alphonse Elric (And yes, they're brothers), was much taller, over six feet tall. There was a catch, however. He wasn't actually in the suit of armor. Well, he is, but he isn't. At a young age, both boys had lost their mother, a fair woman named Trisha Elric. In their obsession with alchemy, they have gone and done what no other alchemist has ever done. They had tried a human transmutation, and survived it.

But at a severe cost that would change their lives forever more.

Edward had lost half of his left leg, Alphonse, his whole body. In an attempt to save his younger brother, Ed had sacrificed his right arm to draw a blood-seal transmutation circle on a suit of armor, thus enacting a soul attachment. Now, Ed has two fake limbs made of automail, and his brother is a living suit of armor.

Ed sighed, taking out his pocket watch, and glancing at the time. 1600 hours. Four o' clock in the afternoon.

"Hurry up, Al, or we'll miss our train!" he called, hop-skipping into a full run.

"Er, wait up, Brother!" the boy called as he tried to run as fast as he could. "Niisan!"

Ed had soon stopped, lying on the ground as he had unexpectedly crashed into someone's larger form. Rubbing his head, Ed looked up.

"Hey, buddy, watch where you're..."

He blinked as he saw a tall man, bald with a blond mustache and a strand of hair sprouting from his head. He wore a dark blue hued uniform with silver gauntlets on his hands. This was the Strong-Arm Alchemist, Alex Louis Armstrong. The muscle built man offered a hand, helping Edward up.

"Are you okay, Mr. Edward Elric?" he questioned.

"Oh, it's you, Major!" he laughed nervously. He had almost yelled at the Major...

"Where are you heading in such a hurry?"

"Ah, well..." Ed looked around for an excuse. He hasn't told anyone that they'd be visiting Resembool... "We're...going to meet somebody!" He rubbed the back of his head as Alphonse stood behind and merely watched the conversation.

"Ah. Well then, I'll accompany you Mr. Edward. I'm to keep watch over you boys, remember?"

'_Aw, damn!' _What's to do now? They couldn't go anywhere with him around! Ed pondered for a second as the Major began to walk to the station.

"Brother, what're we going to do? We can't tell the Major that we're going..."

"We won't. C'mon, this way!" he hissed, tiptoeing into a nearby alley. "Run!"

Al followed, the two brothers racing down the dark, dingy area. They came upon a dead end, a small brick wall. Clapping his hands together, Ed placed them on the wall. There was a flash of light, and the wall had disappeared, the two running through the now brick colored archway.

They continued to run as they heard Armstrong pursue them, and quickened their pace. Before either had known what had happened, Edward had disappeared into the floor, and Al tripped. The suit of armor looked around frantically, searching for a sign of his older brother.

"Brother? Niisan? Ed?" His voice squeaked slightly in panic as he anxiously looked for the shorter boy. "Ed? Where are you?"

"What's happened here?" Armstrong questioned as he finally caught up, doubled over, panting slightly. "Where's Mr. Edward Elric?" He looked puzzlingly up at Al.

"I don't know! He just...poofed! He disappeared into the floor!" Alphonse looked around more, sprinkling more haste into his search.

"Hmm..." The tall man examined where Ed had disappeared, frowning. "He disappeared, all right. But he didn't fall through the floor. This is alchemy. And how complicated it is," he observed, wiping his finger across the floor. A white, chalky substance smeared across the concrete. The remains of a Renseijin, it was. "We need to contact Colonel Mustang."

* * *

Ed felt his heart and stomach plummet to his feet like a stone as he felt everything fall away from him under his feet. He yelled frantically as he fell, trying to make sense of things. Why was he falling? Wait..._how _was he falling? He looked around, seeing nothing but darkness in the rushing air, which just happened to stress his breathing and make his eyes sting and water.

'_Just what the hell is going on?'_

As if in an answer to his thought, he felt himself fall to the ground with a crash. Not a very light landing, either...

"Ow...my back!" he croaked, aching as he sat up. Rubbing tears from his irritated eyes, he looked around at his surroundings.

It seemed to be an old abandoned place, like a warehouse or something. And according to the bolted doors and planked windows, someone didn't want him to get out. He got to his feet, golden orbs examining the text on the boxes and machines. Apparently, he was still in Central.

Dusting himself of, he walked around, looking for a sign of life, of the person who transported him to this vacant building. He had some questions for the person who had the nerve...

He didn't get the chance to finish the thought. A bright light rushed from his right, a creature knocking him over. He blinked up at the monster gnawing on his metal limb, gritting his teeth under the pressure. The oversized beast that had Ed's arm hostage in its jaws was a chimera.

The creature had glowing crimson eyes, its face hidden behind a mask of a giant bird's dirty ivory skull. Red, blue and green feathers decorated its head, and its behemoth body was white in colour, littered with black stripes, two long tails swishing behind it. Long obsidian claws gripped at his sides, causing wounds in the flesh of his torso.

"Back down," came an icy female voice, which had sent chills down Ed's spine, hairs on his neck standing on end. He leaped up as the tiger-bird chimera stepped away from him, the boy slouching, holding his sides.

Before him stood a young girl, one he had met a long time ago, near the beginning of his journey with his brother. What shook him even more was the smaller girl standing next to the first. He felt as if his body has become numb, that his heart had stopped beating.

The first girl, who looked about fourteen at least, had long black hair, green eyes slightly clouded as they gazed upon Ed, who was now kneeling on the ground, blood seeping through is gloves. She wore a pale sea foam green dress, plain and simple, frilled along the edges and the sleeves. This was Clause, the girl from Majhal's villager, a place they had visited on their way to Central, when the boys' journey had all begin.

Beside Clause was the younger girl, who couldn't be more than five. The only problem was that, the last time he saw her, she was dead. The girl was about half his height, with light brown hair tied in pigtails, golden brown eyes as clouded as Clause's. It was Nina, the young girl that was transmuted into a chimera by her father, and was then blown up and murdered by Scar, the Ishbalan State Alchemist hunter.

Ed sat there, stunned, looking at the two all too familiar young girls.

'_Why? Why are they here? What's going on? Answers! I need answers! But, where would I get them? How can I get them? Nina's alive! But how? She's dead! I saw her body blown to bits, blood smeared on the wall in an alleyway. She couldn't be... And Clause lived a far way from here! What the fuck's going on?' _

"Edward Elric," Clause spoke, her voice eerie, echoing, and without emotion. "The Fullmetal Alchemist. Is has been awhile. A few years, is it not?"

"Big brother is here now. Now he will disappear without a trace," Nina muttered, her hand clutched in Clause's. The chimera perched next to the girls purred restlessly, tails swatting the ground.

Ed blinked; his thoughts muddled together, his breath ragged with fear and confusion. Did he do it? Did Professor Tucker manage to create a Homunculus? Then this Nina is definitely not the real thing. But Clause... What was the deal with her?

"Sleep now, my little Mametsubu Renkinjutsushi," Clause muttered, and she pointed one hand forwards. The chimera stepped forwards, swinging its overlarge paw.

"Clause...hey, wait...What did you call me...?" Ed didn't finish his question as pitch black darkness swept over his unconscious mind.

Bringing a nearby cat next to the unconscious alchemist, the tiger-bird chimera removed Ed's red coat, and then removed the automail, quite forcefully, from Ed's severed limbs. Now more blood, since the chimera tore the base automail from his flesh as well, seeped from his body.

Clause drew a transmutation circle around Ed and the feline, placing her hands on the ground. As Nina followed suit, the ground glowed, and there was a flash of light. Now, there was nothing in the Renseijin but a pile of clothing and smears of crimson blood.

Without a sound, the two girls and the chimera left the warehouse, and a sound shuffled from the far corner of the room. Footsteps could be heard as the creature approached the vacant garments. The pile stirred slightly, a small mew coming from the inside. The human picked up the cat in a bundle, taking it into another room in the back of the warehouse building.

* * *

A/N: Here's some terms in the prologue you might need to have translated, if you don't already know them:

Mametsubu Renkinjutsushi

-Pea-sized Alchemist

Niisan

-Older Brother

Kenja no Ishi

-The Philosopher's Stone

Renseijin

-Transmutation Circle

So, here's my first part of my first FMA fanfic. Please, R&R! I'll keep on writing for the enjoyment of it all, but having reviews and comments to help me out would be welcomed greatly. All of you readers out there, you're my editors. Please help when you can! - Arigatou!

And, I know that using Nina and Clause as the villains to evil, and I couldn't come up with an enemy. It seemed evil enough to me, so...Please don't hurt me! hides

Anyway, I should have then first chapter up within the next week or two.


	2. Neko

blink I dunno, but I think that I'm under a fanfiction curse. All of my chapters in my InuYasha fic are five pages, and the prologue for my Fullmetal fic is also five pages. O.o This is quite odd. Just watch. This next chapter, it'll be five pages, too. -;

Phantom Alchemist: Well, yes, the note could have been done without, but that's just my writing style. I tend to write things that way. - I will act as if no one has ever read or seen the Anime or Manga, and put as much description in it to form my own plot, and not just depend completely off of the original. But that's just me. XP Thanks for the advice, though.

* * *

Unlucky

Chapter One: Neko

* * *

"Clause...hey, wait...What did you call me...?" Ed didn't finish his question as pitch black darkness swept over his unconscious mind.

Bringing a nearby cat next to the unconscious alchemist, the tiger-bird chimera removed Ed's red coat, and then removed the automail, quite forcefully, from Ed's severed limbs. Now more blood, since the chimera tore the base automail from his flesh as well, seeped from his body.

Clause drew a transmutation circle around Ed and the feline, placing her hands on the ground. As Nina followed suit, the ground glowed, and there was a flash of light. Now, there was nothing in the Renseijin but a pile of clothing and smears of crimson blood.

Without a sound, the two girls and the chimera left the warehouse, and a sound shuffled from the far corner of the room. Footsteps could be heard as the creature approached the vacant garments. The pile stirred slightly, a small mew coming from the inside. The human picked up the cat in a bundle, taking it into another room in the back of the warehouse building.

* * *

Ed blinked, slowly coming back to the world of the conscious. Golden eyes remained behind narrowed lids, examining the environment around him. Yes, he was still in the warehouse...

'_Wait a minute!'_ he thought, trying to leap to his feet, only ending up falling over again as he fell over. _'My automail! Where's my automail? And...' _he glanced down at his feet. No, not feet. Paws. _'Why...and Clause and Nina! Where are they?'_

He was a cat, missing two limbs, and in a warehouse in who-knows-what part of Central. Great.

Ed examined the stumps, seeing that the bases to which the automail is usually attached to had been torn clean out. The wounds have stopped bleeding by now, for someone wrapped his in white bandages. His chest wounds have also been treated.

Whiskers shuffled as he sniffed the air, by instinct rather than thought, smelling the scent of the human that had helped him. Apparently, they had already left...

With a groan, the cat got to his paws as best he could, using his tail to help balance him on the left forepaw and the right hind paw. He resembled that of a tabby, though his fur was an odd color. His coat was crimson red, black shadowing his back, resembling the Elric brothers' symbol, in a way. A brown splotch covered his nose to between the eyes, and white tipped his paws, tail, ears and underbelly and muzzle. With ears erect, he grabbed his belongings into his mouth and stacked them onto his coat. He no longer fit in them, and so he has to hide them somewhere.

Dragging the garments, among his book and pocket watch, over to a shadowed corner and pushing them behind a crate, he had left the place, looking for someone he could recognize and get help from. That is, if anyone can recognize him, a runty cat limping with two missing limbs...

* * *

A man walked down the street that the peculiar red cat was traveling along. Whistling, he thought of what he could get his daughter from the store. She has been the most excellent little angel today!

The man had a rectangular-like appearance to his head, topped in short black hair. Golden eyes hid behind rectangular glasses, and he was garbed in the typical blue uniform of a State Alchemist. This was Major Hughes.

'_She had read her first book, today!'_ he thought smugly, eyes brimming with cheer. _'Wait till the Colonel and Lieutenant hear this...'_

He paused slightly and blinked as he saw a cat turn into an alleyway, a red feline, limping. Apparently, it was wounded, seeing how droplets of blood followed it. Deciding to be a good samaritan, he followed after the creature, and get it to medical attention.

He turned the corner to find the cat lying on its side, breathing heavily, the bandages on its body stained with fresh scarlet blood.

"Poor creature," he muttered as he scooped the cat into his arms. He rushed from the alleyway, running as fast as he could back to his own home.

"Hang in there, little fella..."

* * *

Ed kept wandering along, blood slowly oozing from his reopened wounds, finally collapsing in the shadow of a dark alley, away from the threat of being trampled or run over. He panted heavily, feeling the strength drained from his tired muscles. Not only this, but he felt out of line. His bones felt awkward, as if they had been rearranged, his head was sore from a headache and the collision with Clause's chimera's claws.

He blinked slightly as a shadow engulfed him. Through his blurry sight, he could not see who it was, nor tell by scent. But as soon as the man spoke, he felt relief wash over him, somewhat. It was Major Hughes! He has found him!

Ed, now feeling that he was in safe hands and would come to no harm at the moment, took the chance to rest a bit, closing his eyes and falling asleep to the rhythmatic beating of the Major's boots on the ground.

Thump, thump, thump, thump...

* * *

Major Hughes had burst through his house door, and rushed inside, placing the cat down on his kitchen table. Pulling up a chair next to the walnut hued table, he began to examine the feline's wounds.

"Chest wounds, severed limbs...Who could torture a creature like this?" he inquired as he went along to find new bandages to wrap the bleeding wounds in. He rushed about here and there, his wife finally coming up with the bandages herself. With a kiss on the cheek and a thank you, he ran back into the kitchen and removed the sopping wet rags of blood from the red cat's body. Just then, he noticed the markings on the cat's back.

"My God..." he muttered, staring blankly. It was clearly the symbol of the Elric brothers smeared in the black of the neko's fur. Quickly, he tied the bandages securely, and wrapped the shivering cat in a towel, to keep him warm as he ran out the door again, straight for the main building at Central.

* * *

Ed mewed weakly, opening his eyes to reveal those blazing golden eyes once more. He pawed at the white cloth wrapped about him with his uninjured paw, moving the towel from his view so that he could see. He looked around at his familiar surroundings.

'_So the Major has brought me to his house...'_ he thought, blinking. He noticed the new bandages on his severed stumps, and the fact that a pair of eyes was watching him from his side. He yowled in surprise as the little girl hopped up to him.

"Hello, little kitty..." the little four year old bubbled. "What is the matter wi' you' legs?" she whispered, gently caressing Ed's perked red and white ears. He shut his eyes with a hiss, then slowly opened them, the feeling of her caress quite nice. He began to purr involuntarily, another instinct that seemed to come naturally.

The little girl tucked her brown hair behind her ears, and then rolled up her sleeves. Grabbing the kitty-in-a-bundle, she carried him to her room, and she set him gingerly on her pink-dressed bed. She ran back to close the door, and then she tipped toed back to Ed's side.

"Kitty is sick. Do nah' worry, though. I'll take care of ya!" she smiled. "And just for luck...congratulations, congratulations, congratulations! People say that when you tella them congratulations, it brings good luck. So I said it three times for ya, kitty!"

Ed blinked, his eyes narrowed in pain. Inwardly, he smiled, purring gently. It was hardly a wonder why her father was always bragging about her at HQ.

She unwrapped Ed from the towel and tucked him into her bed, lying on his side. Then, getting a rag dipped in warm water, she folded it and placed on his head. She stroked his shoulder, kneeling next to the bed.

"Yer a nice kitty. Maybe daddy will let me keep you," she sighed, blinking tiredly. It was almost time to take her nap, as she did everyday. She nodded her head, blinking, coming to rest her head on the bed on top of folded arms. Ed, too, fell back to slumber. He seemed to fit the roll of the 'kitty' perfectly.

* * *

There was a knock on Hughes' front door, answered by his wife. In marched Major Hughes, as well as Colonel Roy Mustang, Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, and a young girl by the name of Winry Rockbell. The group of four paraded down to where Hughes had left Ed last, only to find an empty space.

"Honey?" the black haired man called, puzzled. "Did you move our feline guest?"

"No, no," came the reply as she bustled about the kitchen, getting together some green tea for the guests.

"Well now..." the Major muttered, placing a finger on his chin. "Ah ha!" Just then, he looked up, having a good hunch of who had their young alchemist in their custody.

"Oh darling..." he muttered, going to and opening his daughter's room door. Peering in, he turned to the others and placed his fingers across his lips. "Shhh!" He pointed to the inside of the room, and then tiptoed in.

The other three peered around the corner into the room, watching as he removed Ed from the little girl's bed. Hughes came back and handed the mutilated neko into Roy's arms, and then went back to place his young daughter in her bed. With a peck on the forehead, he tiptoed silently back out of the room and quietly shut the door.

"Isn't she the sweetest little girl you've set eyes on?"

"Not now, Major," Mustang growled, wincing. "Now's not the time to tell us about you're 'perfect little angel'." The man was quite tall, almost as tall as Alphonse and Hughes, if one considered it. Short black hair donned his head, accompanied with dark hued eyes. He, as well as the woman, Hawkeye, were both garbed in the blue uniform of State Alchemists, Mustang carrying the title of Colonel, and Riza, the title of Lieutenant.

"He's right, Major," the woman added. Riza Hawkeye was about a head shorter than Mustang, blonde hair tied tightly against her head. Brilliant brown eyes looked about her as she listened intently as to what was going on right now.

"That's...Ed?" the third guest muttered in shock. Winry Rockbell was a young girl from Resembool, and was also Ed and Al's childhood friend. Golden hair fell to just about her mid back, her cerulean eyes glittering in worry. She wore a bandana over her head, and dressed in a black skirt, with a cream hued t-shirt and ebony jacket. "Will...will he be all right?"

"It sure seems that way," Hughes commented, glancing back at the anxious girl. "Don't fret so much. I'm sure this little pipsqueak will be a-okay."

"Ow!" Mustang hissed as he felt little claws from the cat's left paw pierce him through his coat sleeve. "Fullmetal might be minus his real arm if he does that again," he muttered darkly, cursing. Hawkeye rolled her eyes and took him from the fuming Colonel.

"You men should know better by now than to pick on him," Winry sighed, shaking her head. "Idiots."

* * *

Hughes and the others had settled down in the man's living room, listening to the Major's account of what he had seen.

"It seems to me that someone just might be after Fullmetal's life," Mustang concluded, nodding.

"I apologize before hand, sir, but that was a brilliant deduction, Sherlock," Hawkeye muttered. She gave a hefty sigh and glanced at him with her chocolate eyes. "Look, by his condition, we're already sure that it is some alchemist that is after young Elric's life. And this is no alchemist we should underestimate. Apparently, he, or she, is one who is able bodied in the arts of the chimera."

"She has a point, yes, but what can we do about it? Elric can't tell us anything as long as he is a mangy feline," Mustang retorted.

The cat, lying between Roy and Winry, listened quietly, golden orbs hidden behind furry lids. That is, he was quiet until Mustang's last comment.

'_Dammit, Colonel, it's not like it's my fault I'm a 'mangy cat' _Ed thought sourly as he swiped at Roy again with a hiss and a growl. He flicked his tail with an agitated force.

"Well, we can really do nothing but wait until Major Armstrong and Alphonse Elric are found," Hughes added, ignoring the dispute between Mustang and Ed. "Therefore, in the meantime, you wouldn't mind taking Edward into your custody for a while, do you Lieutenant?"

She shook her head slowly, glancing at Winry. "We can take him up to my office, and then get you to a room to spend your night in Central, Miss Rockbell," Riza added with a friendly smile concealed from the Colonel and Major.

"Thanks," she whispered as the two got to their feet, Hawkeye picking Ed up into her arms.

"M...may I carry him?" Winry inquired, holding out her arms.

Rewrapping Ed in the towel, she handed the kitty-bundle over to the girl. Together, the two marched from the room, heading for the main HQ building.

"I hope we find Al soon," Winry mumbled. "He needs to hear what has happened to his older brother."

Hawkeye nodded in agreement. "The Colonel had already sent out soldiers to search for them. Until then, we have no choice but to wait."

Ed meowed, looking up at the girls.

'_This is very...awkward...'_ Winry thought, smiling slightly. _'Ed as a cat? What the heck's going to happen next? And great. Just great. I'll have to complete that very complex operation again. Dammit, Ed, why do you always have to get into so much trouble? Now I have to attach the automail to each and every one of your nerves again!' _She glared down at the cat, but her expression softened as the pitiful golden eyes looked back up at her. _'What's going to happen now that you're a neko, Edward?'

* * *

_

A/N: Here's chapter one! squee Yes, yes, he's a cat, but he's a very cute cat. - Plus everyone likes my design for him.

Most recently, I've made a handmade a poster of Ed and Al, with Ed in his realistic cat form on top of Alphonse's shoulders. Apparently, my friends all love it, and I am rather fond of it. If one of my close friends gets it into Deviant Art, I may be able to get a link to it. Think of it as a cover design to a book. - Well, here's another chapter. Please R&R! Advice appreciated!

Nekocat, but you should all know that. -


	3. An Eventful Day

'Tis really fun to type up Fanfics while listening to FMA music from Animeillusions. XP I need to find where they sell Tofu Records music, so I can get my hands on the sound track. Oo Must. Have! –drool- Onto the reviews!

PhantomAlchemist: Really? Wow, thanks. J Never exactly gotten a comment like that before. –ish really happy now-

FantasyFreak: If you want to see the poster, you can now go to

http/vagabond-priest. it there under recent deviations, the picture titled "NOT DONE BY ME I BE ARTZ THIEF." Why? Well, I drew it, and my friend, Vagabond Priest, put it onto her Deviant Art account. –nod nod- And, I'll be glad to. Thanks for the tip.

Tanegaroa: Thanks!

Dragonizer: Hiya Dragon! Well, I've given the link already, and I wrote this chapter...so...yeah. bsp; I already did that. XP Anyway...I should be able to get done with Chapter Three soon.

* * *

_Unlucky_

_Chapter Two: An Eventful Day

* * *

_

Ed meowed, looking up at the girls.

'_This is very...awkward...' _Winry thought, smiling slightly. _'Ed as a cat? What the heck's going to happen next? And great. Just great. I'll have to complete that very complex operation again. Dammit, Ed, why do you always have to get into so much trouble? Now I have to attach the automail to each and every one of your nerves again!' _She glared down at the cat, but her expression softened as the pitiful golden eyes looked back up at her. _'What's going to happen now that you're a neko, Edward?'

* * *

_

Ed's eyes became hooded as his heavy eyelids were drooping in on him. Purring involuntarily as he was curled in Winry's arms, he had found himself fast asleep, still weary from today's events.

The sun's red-tawny rays were painting the canvas that was the sky into hues of gold, dawn and periwinkle, the broken silver coin known as the moon starting to make her appearance in the sky. Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye held open a door for Winry as the two women reached the main building. First, the two would head up to Hawkeye's office to drop Edward off, and then to the upper half of the building, the Pilgrim's Quarters, some call it. An array of rooms for State Alchemists' guests remained there.

They ran up two flights of stairs, passed two or three doors in the white-washed hallways tinted with crimson sunset. Straight to the left was Hawkeye's office. Entering, they walked past the bookcases and the paper-clattered desk, a small yip startling Winry.

Hawkeye bent down to pet her little dog, whom was wagging his tail energetically. He placed a paw on Winry's leg, curious as to who she was and what she was carrying. Sitting down on his haunches with his tail stirring up a whirlwind, Riza took Ed from Winry, gingerly, and placed him in the dog's bed, laying the bed on the desk. She turned to the black and white puppy, rubbing its ears gently. "Now you stay here, and don't bother the cat," she commanded, and the puppy ceased his tail wagging and tongue lolling, tilting his head. "Good dog," she murmured as she nodded to Winry and stood up. "Now follow me, and we'll get you a room for the night."

* * *

The puppy yipped happily once his owner had shut the door behind her and the other blonde-haired girl. Wagging his tail, his large brown eyes ventured towards the red furball lying in his bed on his master's desk. He leaped onto the Lieutenant's chair, scrambling and struggling a bit, then clambered onto the desk littered with squares of white paper.

As he approached the sleeping feline, papers drifting to the floor, alerting Ed. Golden eyes snapped open, and he sat up best he could with only two legs. His tail curled about him and his fur bristled as the dog approached.

"_Hiya!" _the young canine yapped happily, watching Ed's flickering tail. His paws lingered towards it. Ed pulled it back, hissing. He was in no mood to speak, glaring at the creature.

As the tail continued to flick, the pup could stand it no longer, following his urge to pounce on it and chew with his little fangs. He leaped, trying to catch the tail. With a frantic yowl, Ed bolted, leaping from the desk to the window sill, nearly losing his balance. As the yappy creature tried to follow him, he leaped from the open window to a window sill below, then another, and another, until he safely reached the ground and fled the building.

'_Stupid dog,' _he thought, growling, not noticing the blue-clad man in front of him. Tripping over the man's foot, he found himself flipping over and over, skidding to a stop on his tail. Wincing, he stood up, and looked behind him to see who the hell was getting in his way this time. However, when he looked back, he saw no one. Instead, the person was next to him, and picked him up by the loose fur around his neck.

A growl rumbling in his throat, golden eyes glowering at the man. He struggled, but he wrapped his arm around Ed's foreleg, and his hindleg wasn't causing any harm. He yowled angrily as the man walked back inside the HQ building.

"You're pretty damn small for a cat," he muttered evilly. Chestnut brown eyes that matched his hair looked down at him, smirking.

"_Say that to my face!"_ he growled. The man chuckled as the cat hissed his comment, only hearing an array of hisses and growls.

"A feisty little beast, are ya? Well, that suits me just fine. I've been having a problem with rats in my office lately..." the man trailed off as he reached said office.

Ed grimaced, ears pinned back. _'Rats? Why rats? Why me?'_ he whimpered silently as the man placed him on the ground. With a kick in the tail, he sent the cat running. "I want you to kill them rats, cat. And I want you to do it now!" He threw a book Ed's way.

He dodged it best he could, sniffing the ground reluctantly_. 'Wait till the day you meet me face to face, bastard. I'll teach you to call me small. I'm no microscopic runt. As for your books, well, we'll just have to do something with your office, officer. Just, I can't do anything right now...'_ His thoughts trails as a little mottled brown creature dashed in front of his. With a light bound, he leaped and stuck his paw on the creature's tail. Ed grabbed the squeaking rodent into his jaws gently, and took it back up to the officer.

He growled at Ed, taking the rat and opening the window, tossing it out. "See that, cat?" he inquired, grinning, cackling. "That'll be you if you don't get moving..."

He paused in mid sentence as the door of his office burst open, an angry Lieutenant's head poking through. Riza's brown eyes glared between cat and officer as she strolled in with Winry in tow.

"Ed!" the girl whispered as she ran and picked him up, glaring at the man.

"Hey, what d'ya think yer doin' with my cat?" he snarled, getting to his feet, sitting again as Hawkeye drew her arms. With the weapon pointing towards him, she inquired, "What are you doing with this cat?"

"I found 'im on the street," he whispered, intimidated. "I swear!"

"If I find you with another animal again, the Colonel will hear of it," she spat, taking Winry and Ed out of the room. As soon as they were out, Winry sighed, and slapped Ed between the ears. He yowled, his head buzzing, his ears pinned back and ringing. He twisted to glare at the girl. She handed him over to Hawkeye. "Tie him up, this time, if you do not mind, Miss Hawkeye," she muttered, promptly stomping away.

Hawkeye raised her eyebrow slightly, and then walked back to her office. This time, she had shut the windows, and tied both animals to opposite sides of the room. Ed curled up, falling back asleep to the nap that was rudely disturbed by a dog and a dog of the military. He snorted, curling his tail on his nose. The dog soon took a nap as well, bored with being tied up, as usual when in the master's office...

* * *

Ed twitched and growled, flipping around as something poked his shoulder. "Niisan?" He could hardly hear the voice as he tried to keep sleeping on._ "Gerraway...dunwanna...five more minutes..." _he hissed as the echoic voice entered his ears with another poke in the back.

Golden eyes blinked as he looked out the window the still night outside, pitch black but with slivers of silver moonlight. He growled as he sat up and turned around, only to find himself pulled into a hug, his body coming in contact with cold metal. He looked up questioningly, looking into glowing red eyes.

"_Al!" _he mewed in surprise. He didn't move, too exhausted, and minus two limbs made things difficult.

"Ed?" Al questioned, his voice holding shocked surprise and relief. He had found his older brother. He was not exactly what he'd say was 'all right', but he was alive, at least. He had that to be thankful for. "Ed, what happened?"

"Don't try, Alphonse," came a voice, Armstrong appearing behind the suit-of-armor-Elric. "We can't understand him, though I am quite sure Edward can understand us." Ed blinked. The he noticed Winry, Mustang, Hughes and Hawkeye in the room as well. Al got up, handing Ed to Winry.

"I guess you'll have to get on with the procedure," the young boy muttered, his voice full of relief to have his brother back.

"It'll be no easy task, I tell you," she sighed, glaring at Ed. "Why do you have to go and get yourself into so much trouble all the time?" she growled at the Elrics. Turning, she left the room to go to her own, where she had all of her tools and parts; she carried them with her everywhere. Everyone else was to wait in Hawkeye's office, until the two come back.

Winry entered the room she was using while her time was in Central.

"Well, Ed, I'm going to give you something to sedate you, okay? This will be more complicated, and doubly painful, since you're a cat..." She picked up a needle, and poked it into Ed's flank before he could mew a protest. Soon, he fell into the world of the unconscious once more.

Winry set immediately to work, working on the nerves first, then rebuilding those blasted limbs. Sure, the automail made by her and Grandma Pinako was the best, therefore it was easy. It was only a nuisance to have to replace Ed's automail limbs more often now than not. Unwrapping the bandages from Ed's body, she began the complex operation.

* * *

Ed woke at the very end of the procedure, wincing slightly as that all too familiar jolt of pain ran up his legs. He blinked as Winry wrapped him in a blanket and turned from the room, having cleaned up the blood and the machinery and hardware.

Within minutes, they were back to the office after the five hour procedure. All too anxious to sleep, the group greeted them into the door.

"Good as new!" Winry exclaimed, beaming, quite proud of her handiwork. Al looked at his older brother, kneeling.

"Well, Brother, I know one thing..."

Ed blinked lazily at him. _'What?' _he thought quietly, purring.

"You really are small now, Niisan." He giggled, but not for long. Within seconds, the purring had ceased and Ed was on his brother's head, hissing up a storm.

"_What! Small! I'm not small! You make it sound like it was my fault! I'm not a bean-sprout midget!" _he snarled, claws scratching up his brother's armor. There were retractable claws built into his new automail, like his normal cat paws, which now left dents and scratches one his brother's silver hued metal.

"Get him offa me!" the boy struggled. The group stood by and laughed, watching the boys struggle around. Things seem to be going to be going back to normal. Sort of.

* * *

A/N: Here's chappie two. A little weird, and my plot hasn't wheedled its way into the fic yet, but that's all to come. I've actually planned up to chapter ten, so getting up to that point won't take long. So, here ya go. Hope ya enjoy the chappie. R&R! 


	4. Another Mystery

PhantomAlchemist: It took a while, but yeah, I updated. –grins- And yes, it must have been very hard, but I see animals do it all the time on Emergency Vets and other Animal Planet documentaries without any problems.

FantasyFreak: Yes, it COULD be worse. It might be, depends on what you guys think of the later chapters. And I'm like that, too. I read it all at once and then have to wait impatiently for the next chapter of volume of something. Like mangas. That happens a lot.

Dragonizer: -squee- Thanks! And, by the way, cats _can _eat chocolate. Chocolate Pocky, too. Silvie's cat Tetsuya can prove so.

LegacyRBluesummers: It _is _up on the DA site, actually. For some reason, the website didn't show up. Anyway, yeah. It's under Deviant Art, under the artist Vagabond Priest.

Well, nothing truly funny has happened yet, buuuuut, I'm getting there. About chapter six will have something a bit amusing. –evil grin- Well now, this chapter will have copyrighted beasts in it. My chimeras which I've labored through long hours designing and created, (Okay, only a matter of minutes, but they're still my own personal creatures. MY chimeras!), shall not be stolen. Mine. MY Chimeras, I tell you! And now, more answers to reviews! X3

_

* * *

_

_Unlucky_

_Chapter Three: Another Mystery_

* * *

"Well, Brother, I know one thing..."

Ed blinked lazily at him. _'What?' _he thought quietly, purring.

"You really _are _small now, Niisan." He giggled, but not for long. Within seconds, the purring had ceased and Ed was on his brother's head, hissing up a storm.

"_What! Small! I'm not small! You make it sound like it was my fault! I'm not a bean-sprout midget!" _he snarled, claws scratching up his brother's armor. There were retractable claws built into his new automail, like his normal cat paws, which now left dents and scratches one his brother's silver hued metal.

"Get him offa me!" the boy struggled. The group stood by and laughed, watching the boys struggle around. Things seem to be going to be going back to normal. Sort of.

* * *

Ed growled as he felt himself slide and bump around within a cold, metal enclosure. Folding his ears flat against his head, he dug his claws into the metal, trying not to get jumbled around any longer. With a hiss, he growled at his brother.

Alphonse tried to keep walking straight as the hissing and growling emitted from the chest cavity of his armor, with many people looking at him, a very confused look on their faces.

"Ed! Be quite! People are staring..." he whined, turning a corner into an alleyway. He opened the armor, and Ed hopped out swiftly, his claws clattering on the sidewalk. He turned to glare at his younger, yet so much bigger, brother. Flicking his tail, he managed to brush some of the upstanding fur down again with a paw.

For a few minutes, the two sat there and stared at each other, Ed purring angrily as Al remained motionless. Soon, Al gave in to his brother's stubbornness, and decided to get a move on.

"We're supposed to be getting you to exercise that automail, Brother. So we better get going..." he suggested, getting to his feet under the groan of chinking metal. Ed yawned and stretched, forepaws in front of him, rump in the air. Swaying his tail twice, he stood straight once more and shook out his coat. Perking his white-tipped ears, he followed after his brother in a gently trot, metallic claws clicking on the concrete.

Enjoying the sunshine playing on his face and the breeze that brushed through is fur, it wasn't long before he was resting on Al's massive shoulders, basking his underbelly in the pleasant sun warmth. Paws were curled over his chest, and a peaceful purring vibrated from his throat, but his pleasure was cut short as a man bumped into Al, knocking Ed's small form to the ground.

He landed on his paws, but that didn't last very long either, for he was lifted into the air by that man. Ed's eyes widened in shock as he saw an only too familiar face in front of him. Tanned skin. Red eyes. Cross scar. The Ishbalan known as Scar.

He struggled about, hissing, trying to dig his claws into the man's tattooed arm. As Scar grabbed his small feline head into his hand, Ed stood stock still in shock. He stared between the fingers up at him, hanging by his head. His neck was starting to ache after a few seconds, and he burst into movement in those few seconds, the moment Scar's hand began to glow red.

He growled, digging claws into his hand, biting a finger or two. With a gasp of pain and a scowl, Scar had released Ed and the cat darted back to his brother.

"Leave him alone!" Alphonse yelled as he lifted the red form into his hands. "He's done nothing to you, Scar! Why do you keep bothering us?"

"Not you, him. You're not the State Alchemist," he growled, poised for another attack. "Because that...'runt' joined the dogs of the military, he's against Ishbala and my people, and he must pay with his life. You know I can't forgive--" He never finished his sentence.

Once the word 'runt' had registered in his mind, Ed had pounced from his brother's arms, leaping at Scar's face with his claws extended to full length. The last thing he remembered was seeing a full blast of crimson light before all was dark.

* * *

Ed blinked his eyes, waking up to a headache for what seemed the umpteenth time. With a moan, he looked around.

Eyes widened in surprise as he glimpsed his brother's once more mutilated armor. Scar was nowhere to be found. When Ed investigated where Scar's scent had ended, the strong scent of a chimera intertwined with it, both shrouding his sensitive nose. Well, there was nothing he could do at the moment, exactly.

With a sneeze, he trotted back to his brother. Sniffing at the trashed metal, he pawed aside the scraps here and there, until he found the helmet, as well as the bloodseal that bound his brother's soul to the armor.

_Thank God, _he thought as he saw that the seal was unscathed. He sat down on his haunches, sitting up straight as he could, his two forepaws curled up against his chest. Taking those forepaws forwards, he clapped them together with the most effort he could muster, the pad on his left paw barely touching the metal on his right.

With a stressed effort to stay upright, he placed his paws on the armor. He sat there, waiting for the alchemic reaction, for the brilliant flash of light.

None came.

He tilted his little head in frustration and mewed angrily.

_Time for plan B._

Using only one claw on his right, forepaw, he began to walk in circles, drawing his transmutation circle: a circle circumscribed with another, two triangles facing opposite directions in the center, one facing up, the other down.

When he had completed the drawing of the Renseijin, he used his paws to bat Al's armor into the circle, then he used his quivering pink nose to nudge the scraps into place.

He wiped his paw across the irritated nose and prepared to place his paws on the circle.

However...

Ed's ears perked and his fur shot on end as a loud, gruff sound emitted from behind him. He turned his head around to see a large bloodhound rushing his way.

"With a sharp intake of breath and a feline yowl, he bolted in the opposite direction, down the path away from the dog. In his attempt to bound away in flight, his four paws landed in the Renseijin, and there was a flash of illuminating light. Ed looked back with such speed that he caused a crick in his neck, but he swished his tail in satisfaction.

Behind him, in the canine's path, stood Alphonse, shaking a fist at the dog's whimpering, retreating form. Ed sneered and snorted once as the bloodhound ran away with his tail between his legs.

Alphonse stood there as good as new, calling after it, "Pick on someone your own size! It's not cool to pick on someone so much smaller than you!"

Ed sat there, jaw agape, taking a minute to absorb Alphonse's comment. With a growl and a shrill hiss, the red-furred feline leapt from the ground to once more attack his brother's head like a flash of lightning.

"Brother--? Aaaaack!"

_Who the hell are you calling small? What else you want to call me, huh? Huh? I am NOT small, dammit!_

* * *

Ed trotted quietly beside Al as the two walked back to HQ, Al filling Ed in on what had happened after he had backed out.

"Well, after Scar had tried to kill you, Ed, I pushed you out of the way, and his attack destroyed my armor. However, I...uh...Well, I had hit you in the head in the process, so that is why you kind of lost consciousness." He let out a laugh that was a tad nervous, and then continued. "Anyway, I was blown to the bits, and Scar was about to finish you, but..."

_But! _Ed mewed impatiently, head shooting in Al's direction.

"But, of all things, a _chimera _appears out of nowhere! And to top it all off, it kidnapped Scar! It looked like a white tiger, one with two tails and the build of some massive stature. Oh yes, and a bird's skull kid its face, with many feathers and plumage on its head. It was very shocking!"

Ed blinked in wild surprise as Al described Clause's own chimera. He stood there, unmoving, right in the middle of the front doorway to Central Headquarters, dumbstruck. Alphonse walked inside, turning to wait for Ed.

"Come on, Niisan!" he whispered

With a jerk, he came back to Earth. Shaking his head furiously, he trotted in after Alphonse, his head swimming with odd thoughts.

* * *

A/N: Yes, my fanfic happens to take place before Scar is no longer an enemy, and before... -sob- Hughes died. Or I could leave the fact that that had happened out...-shrug- Either way works for me. Hughes was cool. So, as long as he's not dead, then I'm happy. Scar's cool too, even if he did try to kill Ed. Anyways, sorry it had taken so long to update.

I've been writing on another one of my fanfics for InuYasha, and its been awhile since I've been able to get on my computer.

So, what do you guys think? I'm glad some people like it, at least. Chapter three is now finished! Completed chappie, whoo! So, everyone out there who reads, please R&R! Arigatou!


	5. A Sigh of Relief?

FantasyFreak: Yay! Cookies! I like cookies, too...XP

Shingo-sama: I'm glad to have you join us. Thanks!

DarkInuHanyou: Well, up until chapter two, I've had someone else update my fanfic because I didn't know how to do it. I've finally got to putting up chapter three by myself after a long while of waiting, and now I know how to update, so updates might come a bit faster. Sorry for the wait!

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* * *

Unlucky_

_Chapter Four: A Sigh of Relief?_

* * *

Ed blinked in wild surprise as Al described Clause's own chimera. He stood there, unmoving, right in the middle of the front doorway to Central Headquarters, dumbstruck. Alphonse walked inside, turning to wait for Ed.

"Come on, Niisan!" he whispered

With a jerk, he came back to Earth. Shaking his head furiously, he trotted in after Alphonse, his head swimming with odd thoughts.

* * *

There was a small commotion down at the Central Train Station, calls of farewells and hints of laughter in the air. A young blond girl stood out of a train window, clutching a red cat, standing next to a full-bodied suit of armor. Both waved good-bye as the red cat merely glared coldly outside.

There, Colonel Roy Mustang, Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, Major Maes Hughes, and Major Louise Armstrong all stood, waving. Armstrong held a kerchief to his nose, bright pink sparkles floating and twinkling about his head as he waved; Hughes held his daughter upon his shoulders, both of which were waving as well. Hawkeye and Mustang just merely stood back and watched.

Before they knew it, Ed, Al and Winry were all heading back home. Back to Resembool.

"Once we're there, Edward will be able to rejuvenate, and then we'll get a specialist to take a look at him," the girl explained to Alphonse as the older brother slept comfortably upon Winry's lap. She looked fondly at the red cat, stroking his red-black fur. This sort of struck Al as odd, but...he decided to keep silent.

"So, what will the specialist you mentioned be able to do for Ed?" the boy pondered, glowing red eyes watching the scenery flow past the train like a film in a projector.

"Hmm?" Winry seemed to have drifted off into a trance as Al had spoken, only to result in her shaking her head and bringing herself back to the present. "Wha...? Oh!" She smiled, embarrassed slightly. "Well, they'll check whether or not Ed can be cured of his...condition, you might say. They'll also check to see if he's sick, and to see if his automail is serving him well. Who knows, maybe they can find a way to communicate with him better," she replied, also tossing her gaze out the window.

_I just hope he'll be able to get back to his old short self soon... _she muttered, a hidden grin silently gracing her lips.

* * *

"We're back, Granny Pinako!" Winry called, hauling her back and a small cat under her arms. Edward's golden eyes glared forwards with utter loath, for he was in quite the uncomfortable position. Every now and then, the young alchemist would struggle and writhe, only to end with a scolding and a collision with her infamous wrench between the ears.

"Uh...erm...are you sure that you don't want me to carry him?" Alphonse muttered as he carried in Ed's suitcase. "He doesn't look too happy..."

_I'm quite capable of walking... _he thought bitterly.

"Nonsense!" she cried, grinning. "He seems to be cooperating alright!" She swung her wrench about in her free hand, Ed gulping and curling up best he could once more. If hitting in the head with a wrench hurt before, it was nothing compared to now...

"Ah!" came a strong, hoarse old voice as the three young ones looked up to see a stout old woman, her short coarse hair tied in a pony tail atop her head, a small pipe sticking from her mouth. She wore a simple green dress, plus a white apron that covered her front, which was completely doused in many grease stains and blood. "Well, you're just in time," she muttered, looking disdainfully at the Elric brothers. "I've just finished giving another patient a successful automail operation. My, my... you two seem to have gotten yerselves into trouble again, haven't you?" She glanced at Ed in particular, whose fur bristled slightly in irritation.

_What of it, old bat! It's not any of your business... _Of course, Pinako, or anyone for that matter, couldn't hear the feline's sour comments.

"Well," she continued, "You two can go outside and rest awhile. I'll have Winry conjure up something for supper, and I'll call the alchemist specialist to come and see Ed."

"Yes, ma'am," Alphonse replied politely, scooping Ed up into his arms and heading outside. Ed merely stuck out his tongue at the old woman's back. In consequence, however, a screw bounced painfully off of his sensitive pink nose.

* * *

Nightfall had fallen, and the small group had already started to eat dinner as there was a knock on the door. Winry had gotten up to answer it as Ed continued to remain focused on his meal, the delicious aromas of chicken, potatoes and mixed fruits filling his head. His tail swished slightly, and his ears perked, as a gentle breeze brushed through the room, and a tall man entered the house.

"He's over there," Ed could hear Winry whisper as he looked up to see who it was. Peering behind him, Ed saw a man in his twenties, about, with short chestnut hair and sparkling blue eyes. He wore a doctor's coat over clothes that a normal, casual man would wear. Maybe... was he a state alchemist?

In the middle of Ed's day-dreaming, the man had picked Ed up by the loose fur about his neck. Ed, thoroughly shocked, let his jaw hang open and his eyes widen as he felt himself go unwillingly limp. Involuntarily, his paws curled against his chest, along with his hind paws and his tail. Confused, he gave the 'doctor' a puzzled look.

Without further ado, however, Ed found himself sitting upon a cleared region on the wooden table, the man examining his ears, his mouth, his reflexes and other things. Ed felt quite uncomfortable, especially because of being examined so closely, but he was alright. That is, until the needle was mentioned. Soon, they had found Ed clinging to the ceiling with his claws, hissing as the four tried to get the cat from the roof. In the end, he had to be sedated once more with yet another needle so that the specialist could administer other necessary, more essential shots.

Ed glared at the doctor, eyes half closed, as he put away the medicines and needles. Soon, Ed found himself, surprisingly, surrounded by a transmutation circle. He looked up at the man, expecting an explanation, but got none. The man had touched the circle, and there was a flash of light, but nothing happened.

_What the hell was that for! _he hissed, standing up, and falling over once more, dizzy. _Ugh...my head hurts..._

The three humans around him blinked, and they blinked a whole lot.

"Erm...Ed...?"

"What's going on...Ed? Doctor?"

"Yes, Mr. Lynnox. Please explain..."

"Well..." the Lynnox began, picking up the protesting Ed. "You see...my transmutation, the alchemy I had just performed, had enabled Ed to communicate with any person, but only the ones who where in this room at the time of the transmutation. So, in short, Mr. Elric, and you Rockbells, can now all understand Mr. Fullmetal."

Ed's ears perked in immediate interest at the statement uttered into the silent air, tail swishing. _S-so...you can all understand me now! _He looked at the four people staring at him with expectant eyes.

Simultaneously, all four people nodded.

With that, Ed's head melted with relief. _I think I'll...I'll take a nap... _he managed to yawn out, feeling his drained brain shut down and he fell into the world of dreams.

Alphonse could not believe this, though. He would be able to talk with his Nii-san again! He had felt such relief and joy wash over him for Ed's voice, though echoic and mixed in with purrs and mews, was still the same as that of his older brother.

"Things seem to be improving around here, eh, Ed?" Winry whispered in his ear, which flickered as her breath caressed it. The young girl carried the cat up to his room, Alphonse following after, and the house's stress seemed to be relieved by a considerable amount that night.

* * *

"What! Already!" Winry's shrill scream of surprise could be heard all the way down the street. Ed and Al were slumped over, eyes spinning as the girl's outburst deafened them. "What do you mean you're leaving today! You just got here!"

_Please, don't scream so loud Winry... My head really hurts..._

"But you're leaving so soon!"

_I know, I know...but we have to get back to Central City, pronto. I've got to collect my stuff, and then we're going to have to go back to the library—_

"Library!" she cut in sharply. "That's all you every talk about! The library and Central! I've had enough of that! Why do you have to be in such hot pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone!" She paused, and then let out a gasp. She glared suspiciously at the red cat, poking his white-furred chest rather roughly. "Perhaps...you don't think my automail is _good enough _for you. Maybe you don't think it's _right _for you. You would rather wish for flesh and bone over Rockbell Automail! I'm so ashamed of you, Edward Elric!"

_Didn't I say to stop yelling? _he moaned, placing his paws over his head. _Winry, we're leaving, and that's final. Nothing you can say will stop us, or change our minds! _The cat snorted once before he began to lick at his left forepaw, his right still on his muzzle.

"But..." she began to protest. She knew very well she could not persuade Ed to stay here in Resembool, if not for a few days longer. She turned to Alphonse, now. "What time do you two plan to leave?"

"Before noon, we want to be early," he explained. They wouldn't have to take very long, for they didn't really have to unpack any bags. "But we might take a little longer. Brother doesn't seem to be feeling to well at the moment."

Winry turned about, trying to hide the hurt on her face. There they go, running off again, so soon only after seeing each other after such a long period of time. She walked into the back of the den room, pocketing a silver wrench. Ed will have something in store for him. _Think of it as a farewell gift, _she thought evilly, a malicious glint in her cerulean blue eyes.

_

* * *

OW! What was that for! Ed was rubbing his head with his paws, growling, the lump on his head quite large._

"Well, for leaving so soon, just to go to a library for one, and for showing such disrespect for my automail as another reason," she hissed, crossing her arms an turning her back.

"Ed..." Alphonse whispered, head turning towards his brother in his arms. "I think that her wrench connecting with your head is her own way of saying that she'll miss us a lot."

_What kind of way of saying goodbye is that? _he hissed back, fur bristling. Then he turned his golden eyes to the pouting girl, and his cold expression immediately melted away. With a pained effort, he leaped from his brother's grasp, walking up to rub against Winry's leg, a cat-like way of showing affection. He could not explain this sudden action, but his mind and heart were commanding him to do so. He mewed quietly, sitting at the blond girl's feet.

Winry looked down at Ed, confused for a second, and then she smiled gently, bending over to pick him up. She lifted him to her face, and they touched noses, and she giggled.

Once more, Alphonse was confused by these actions. And once more, he decided to ignore it. However, he was soon jerked back to the present as the whistle of the train blew, and the engines began to churn.

"Oh!" he gasped, running forwards and snatching Edward, the two heading to the train in a hurried rush. "Sorry, Winry!" he called back.

_We...promise. We'll be back soon, _Ed called back.

Winry stood by, grinning, waving her hand in the air. "Come back soon, Edward, or you're going to be in a world of hurt!" she laughed, waving her wrench.

Ed grinned nervously, and waved his paw best he could from Alphonse's shoulder, whom was also waving outside the train window as the locomotive began to move for Central.

* * *

Ed sat upon the window sill in their little compartment, watching the trees and mountains flick by. Tail swatting the sill he sat on, he let out a sigh, whiskers shuffling.

"So, brother, now that we can communicate...can you tell me what happened to you? From the time that you fell through the floor, I mean."

Ed tilted his head, turning back to his brother. Leaping nimbly from the sill to the chair adjacent his little brother, he sat, tail curling about his paws. _Since that time we were running from the Major, right_? he pondered quietly. _Well, it all started with Nina and Clause...Apparently, I was lured there, they didn't turn me into a cat, but they made me a...chimera._

Alphonse sat in stunned silence, confused. "A chimera?" he retorted, surprised. "But...what next?"

From that point, Ed continued to explain, up until he reached where they had found him, injured, wandering the streets as a mangy feline.

Alphonse sat there, quietly, just staring at his brother, until he finally spoke. "So, we're going to have to go to that warehouse you were talking about, then, so that we can get your stuff back. You'll need your watch and stuff back really soon."

_Yeah, _he nodded, standing up and stretching kitty style. With a yawn, he looked outside, watching the train starting to slow. _Well, we can do that first thing when we get off of this thing._

"We're here already?" he mumbled, slightly startled.

_It appears to be that way. So, shall we go? _He mewed as the train came to a halt at the train station.

* * *

Ed rode upon Alphonse's shoulder as they walked along the street, trying to stay unnoticed. But how could they do that? A giant suit of armor and a red cat. Something that unusual couldn't get by without getting a few odd glances here and there.

A man, dressed in blue State Army garb, watched as the two boys were wandering towards the direction of the warehouse vicinity that was strictly off limits. With a sigh, as the two disappeared around a corner, Major Armstrong walked quickly in the direction of Headquarters to alert the higher ups of the boys' presence in Central.

* * *

Edward hopped from his younger brother's large form, sniffing at the ground, finding his old scent leading from the vicinity. Following said scent trail, he walked right into the warehouse he had 'fallen' into and looked about, making sure it was the right one.

_Yep, this is it, _he purred, trotting to the back of the warehouse and dragging out his hidden belongings. Alphonse hurried over and picked up Ed's stuff, standing up straight and nodding to his brother.

"Well, Nii-san, we should probably head back. This _is _a restricted area, after all."

_Right... What the HELL!_

He and Alphonse both fell over as a rather strong gale of wind made them topple over, a giant creature perching on the many crates that littered the large storehouse. Red eyes glowed as flowing silver fur against glittering ivory scales shimmered in the light from outside windows leading in. There, a long serpent-like creature sat. Its face resembled that of a wolf, with a flowing tail of fur and four mammal's limbs, also wolfish. The rest of it took on the shape of a snake, or more appropriately, a dragon.

With a roar, the thing began to take to the air again, the slender body twisting gracefully about as it slowly uncoiled itself and flew down to attack the Elrics again.

_RUN! _Ed hissed as he dashed as fast as he could for the exit, Alphonse close behind. What have they gotten themselves into this time?

* * *

Well, this chapter was a little longer than expected, and it's my longest fanfic chapter yet! –dances and cheers- Anyways, like I said, my updates should be getting faster, so expect chapter five sometime soon! R&R, I hope you enjoyed chapter four of Unlucky! 


	6. It's a Curse

ShadowFox777: Thanks! –grin- Well, yes, I've played and beaten The Broken Angel, but I've not gotten the second one yet. And I can relate. Many RPGs and Anime games are hard to put aside. Have you played "Star Ocean: Till the End of Time"? It's awesome! And yes, my chimera is somewhat a look-alike to Camilla's chimera, but it's not part gorilla. It's part bird, and it's not as bulky. Pretty much, it's a giant white tiger with feathers and a bird skull and two tails. It's not hunchbacked, and it doesn't have gorilla hands like the chimera from the game. But, yes, the idea originated from it. XP

Edward4: I'm sorry if you don't support this pairing. It's partly my fault. I just realized that my plot is cut off, and I forgot to add the full plot to the prologue. It said Ed/Win in it. Please accept my apologies! oo;;;

Shingo-sama: Sorry I'm taking so loooong. Eee!

Fantasy Freak: Whoo! Ed/Winry supporters!

LegacyRBluesummers: I wouldn't know. I've never had a cat. I've got a buddy who has four, but that doesn't really help, either. XP By the way, according to your username, are you, by any chance, a Trigun fan?

_

* * *

Unlucky_

_Chapter Five: "It's a Curse"_

* * *

Edward hopped from his younger brother's large form, sniffing at the ground, finding his old scent leading from the vicinity. Following said scent trail, he walked right into the warehouse he had 'fallen' into and looked about, making sure it was the right one.

_Yep, this is it, _he purred, trotting to the back of the warehouse and dragging out his hidden belongings. Alphonse hurried over and picked up Ed's stuff, standing up straight and nodding to his brother.

"Well, Nii-san, we should probably head back. This _is _a restricted area, after all."

_Right... What the HELL!_

He and Alphonse both fell over as a rather strong gale of wind made them topple over, a giant creature perching on the many crates that littered the large storehouse. Red eyes glowed as flowing silver fur against glittering ivory scales shimmered in the light from outside windows leading in. There, a long serpent-like creature sat. Its face resembled that of a wolf, with a flowing tail of fur and four mammal's limbs, also wolfish. The rest of it took on the shape of a snake, or more appropriately, a dragon.

With a roar, the thing began to take to the air again, the slender body twisting gracefully about as it slowly uncoiled itself and flew down to attack the Elrics again.

_RUN! _Ed hissed as he dashed as fast as he could for the exit, Alphonse close behind. What have they gotten themselves into this time!

* * *

As the brothers fled to the exit of the warehouse, the draconic wolf flew ahead of them, slithering in position and blocking their escape. Ed and Al both skidded to a halt and immediately began to run in the opposite direction. Alphonse tripped over his own foot as he tried to avoid stepping on Ed's tail, and Ed kept running, for the large reptilian mammal passed over Al and flew straight for himself.

Ed hissed frantically, for it was quickly eating the distance between him and itself. He found himself beginning to stumble as he tried to gain speed, but he soon had to slow down, for he was heading straight for a large pile of crates. However, he would have to either risk it, or become Chimera-Chow. He kept running, leaping into the air and bouncing off of the side of the boxes, flinging himself the other way. The dragon kept on flying, not expecting the sudden action, and consequently, it rammed headfirst into the pile, the crates toppling over and consuming the chimera.

Ed slowed, looking back, coming to a full stop. His heart was pounding, claws gripping the ground below him. His silver-tipped ears were pinned back as the tip of his tail twitched, irritated.

"_Is it...dead?" _he asked, looking back at Al.

The suit of armor waved his arms up and down frantically, and Ed felt his heart plummet as a roar erupted from behind. As he pivoted about, the creature's muzzle was under his belly, and he found himself clinging to the creature's furry face. He was hissing and growling and gurgling, gripping on for dear life as it thrashed about, flinging its head this way and that, trying to rid it of the runty furball.

Ed hissed up a fury as his claws ripped from the flesh in a bloody mess and he was flying through the air. Ed's heart raced as he flew, and he felt searing pain rush through his little body as he crashed through another pile of crates and into a wall. He didn't move, for he felt as it someone took a whip or chain and whipped him senseless. A small mew escaped his throat.

The chimera's silvery ears perked as it heard Ed meow helplessly, and it slithered close to the ground, snake-like, searching for the red cat. As it caught his scent, and its keen scarlet eyes spotted him, it roared and lifted itself into the air, readying for another assault.

Ed shut his eyes, dreading the creature's fangs wrapping about his body, but the pain never came. He opened his golden eyes to see the dragon above him, looking behind it. There, in the doorway to the warehouse, stood six tall figures, all of which Ed recognized. Relief immediately flushed over him. However, the dragon did not forget its job, and turned its massive head about to once more turn its attention to Ed. Better to finish the job now while you have the chance, right?

Ed shut his eyes again with a sound ripping from his throat, a cross between a hiss, growl and meow. There was an ear-shattering roar, but no feared fangs throttling the life out of him. He opened his eyes again, and blinked as a wound dripped blood from its long neck. Hawkeye, one of the six, had shot her gun. Four of the others ran forwards. Alphonse got ready to try some hand-to-hand combat, as well as Armstrong, and Maria Ross and her partner, Ed's current 'body guards', rushed forth with their guns out and ready to shoot. Each had their chance to fight, and as the thoroughly wounded creature dived for Ed again, the creature had burst in flames by the sound of a snap. Mustang walked forth, hand outstretched, watching as the flaming dragon fell to the earth near Ed.

"Brother!" Al yelled as he hurried anxiously to go and retrieve the cat, gathering him up into his arms. "Maria," he yelled back as he picked his brother up. "Can you please get Ed's stuff?" He pointed towards the pile of clothing and valuables gathered up in the corner of the room.

"On it," she said, running off with her partner in tow.

"Hurry, now," Armstrong announced, "or we shall be caught in the flames!"

With that, the seven rushed from the burning building, keeping a good distance away. They stared as the warehouse burned down to ashes. Armstrong, Maria and the other man had all rushed to get help to put out the fire already as Ed was clung to by Al, Mustang and Hawkeye observing it all.

"Fullmetal," he said, glaring at the cat. "Look what you have done. You rushed on your own, knowing that your life is sought after by an unknown person, and got yourself attacked by a _chimera. _And because of this, you had brought other people into the mess, and now one of our warehouses is on fire and burning to the ground." He watched the heavily breathing feline, feeling his fury ebb away a little. But it was still there. "Take him to HQ," he growled, walking in the direction of the car the group had used to get here. With three of the original group gone, the Elrics should be able to fit in quite easily.

"Let's get going, Brother."

* * *

Ed blinked, his head quite clear now, but he was still sore all over. He was asleep, apparently, and he had awoken unwillingly, finding himself in Hawkeye's office. Then it dawn on him what had woken him up. He sat up with a cat-like yawn, whiskers rising and falling as he revealed long milky fangs and bowed his body towards the ground, stretching. It was then that he noticed his pocket watch hanging about his neck by its chain, like a collar, along with a thing rope that tied him to the wall.

_Hiya!_

Ed jumped and grimaced as he turned around to face Black Hayate. The black puppy's tail wagged like a whirlwind, his tongue hanging out and panting as he stared at the cat.

_I remember you! _he bubbled, sitting on his haunches. _You're that cat, from before!_

_Yeah, yeah. I remember you, too, _he growled, tail curled about him as he laid his body down. _A little too well, _he added as he recalled the window incident involving that one alchemist he has sworn to get revenge upon. He sighed, staring at the black-white puppy with molten amber orbs. _So, what do you want?_

_I'm bored, _he whined flatly, tail still wagging. _You're the only other one who talks to me besides the Mistress, and a few men. I haven't seen you in awhile. Did stuff happen? I thought you had only two legs! Why do you have four now? What's your name? Do you wanna play with me?_

Ed glared at the dog through slitted eyes, narrowed lids showing his distaste. _One, don't ask so many questions. Two, no, I don't want to play anything with anybody. I'm too sore anyway._

_Really? What happened? _His tail had ceased to move now, and he paid closer attention.

_Well...um...You see, I wasn't always a cat..._

Hayate blinked, confused. Wasn't always a cat? What could that mean?

_I was recently turned _into _a cat by a couple of alchemists, and now I'm trying to find a way to get back to normal. I'm being followed by serial killers and chimeras, and being a cat with an alchemy-performing handicap does not help things any. I'm telling you, it's a curse. It's always bad luck for me and my brother. _Ed finished his short summary bitterly, almost in cat-like temperament.

_Alright then, _he replied, tilting his head, not understanding nor soaking in a single word the cat had said. Then he changed the subject. _You're voice, you're smell. You seem familiar._

_Yeah, only a week ago—_

_No. Before that. You remind me of a human that works here..._

_Haven't you been listening to me, you stupid dog? I wasn't always human! I worked here when I was human, and I work here as a cat. Do you get that?_

Intimidated, the puppy retreated to his own corner and bed, curling up and staring warily at Ed. Ed fumed, still lying in the same spot, glaring at Black Hayate.

_Serves him right..._he thought quietly to himself, shutting his eyes and going back to sleep once more.

* * *

"_W-Winry! What're you doing here!" _

Ed was standing up and staring at the girl, ears pinned back, fur bristling wildly. He stared at the wrench she clung haphazardly in her hand, her eyes glinting with what promised to be his pain in only a few moments.

"I was summoned her upon the request of a Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye," she hissed, tossing the wrench into the air and catching it again. "She said that you and Al got into trouble, _again. _Sure, keep secrets from me, will you? Worry me sick, will you? Well, I've got something for you Ed. _Here you go!" _She flung the silver piece of metal at the cat's head, who flew backwards, eyes swirling as a lump grew on his forehead.

"_Eheh..."_

Winry sighed, walking into the room and closing the door behind her. She sat next to the cat and pulled him into her lap, stroking his soft feline fur. He blinked up at her, who fell asleep, but her hands still stroked his back. He was purring inevitably, but he wanted to get away. Squirming might've worked, but he didn't want to wake her. He had no choice but to sit and wait. By the time midnight had come, he was asleep, boredom taking over his mind until he was in the World of Dreams.

* * *

Ed blinked, golden eyes peering around. He had slept quite comfortably last night, not remembering in whose lap he was lying. Soon, his eyes, nose and ears told him to remember that Winry was here, and that she had yet to release him. Sun was shining brightly through the office window, and Black Hayate remained fast asleep. Ed grinned evilly as he looked into Winry's sleeping face.

"_GRAAAR!" _he growled, leaping from the girl's loose grip onto her head, meowing and hissing, his tail playing on her nose. Winry woke with a sneeze, jerking to her senses.

"Ed!" she whined, brushing the cat from her head and shoulders. "Go away..." she mumbled, curling up on the floor and going back to sleep, which couldn't have been very comfortable. Ed growled.

_You're not going to go back to sleep, _he thought to himself, laughing maliciously. He walked to the front of her face, and he began to bat at her nose with his soft, calloused paw. She wrinkled her nose and turned the other way. Growling, he looked for other ways to wake her up.

He tried pouncing on her face with all four paws, he tried scratching her hand with his claws, and he even tried head butting the vile sleeping female and only ended up with a headache. Finally, he lifted his head up and began to yowl loudly. It was his last resort, so what could he do?

"Mmm?" The girl sat up, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "Eh? What time is it..." she inquired, taking Ed's pocket watch from her pocket. "Six thirty in the morning!" She turned annoyed blue eyes to the cat at her side. "You. You _evil, evil _little monster," she hissed, the red cat grinning in the most mischievous cat-like grin she's ever seen. "I. Hate. You," she growled as she got up and stretched.

"_I love you, too," _he teased, tail swishing in triumph. He didn't expect the girl to turn around and bring a wrench down on his head. He lied on his side, eyes swirling once more as another lump grew next to the one he already had. _"Ehehehe..."_

Winry Rockbell kneeled down and took the watch from her hand, which was attached to a semi-heavy chain, and she put it around Ed's neck. "The Colonel said that you had to wear it," she explained as the cat gave her an inquisitive look. She then pulled out a ball of yarn from her pocket. "I brought this with me from home," she said, tossing up and down the large ball of yellow string.

Ed's eyes followed the ball intently, tail swishing, lowering his body involuntarily into a pouncing position. At the moment, his mind was blank. Only the yarn ball mattered. With a meow, he leaped into the air, forepaws' claws caught in the string, him dangling from the yarn as Winry held it up best he could, for, though Ed was small, he was a _heavy _cat.

Winry laughed as Ed hopped up and down, trying to catch the ball, her arm following after, easily holding it from his grasp. She would toss it, and he'd run after it, batting at it, chewing on it, and then she'd have to wrestle it from him to get it back. This seemed to continue well into the morning, until Alphonse, Hawkeye and Maria came in to check on them. Winry smiled as she lifted the exhausted cat into cradling arms as she followed after the three.

* * *

A/N: Here's chapter five, finally! I'm sorry I'm always taking so loooong... You could call it procrastinating, I guess. I'm just so busy with pet sites and roleplays that I always forget to write up the next chapter. But, because they're already outlined, I just need to add the details; it only takes a night or two to write a chapter, thank Kami. Well, I hope you enjoyed this little chapter right here. –grin- R&R! 


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